Ambush
by Deandra
Summary: Lothiriel is ambushed. Fluffy little ONESHOT. Part 159 of the Elfwine Chronicles.


_**Part 159 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes.**_

_**A/N: Oddly enough, I think this was inspired by rereading Lialathuveril's story "Black Eyes". No, the two stories have no similarities, but this came to mind after reading it. C'est la Vie!**_

**Ambush**

**(Oct, 1 IV)**

Lothiriel made her way into her bedchamber, humming softly to herself. Elfwine had finally settled down for his nap. He was cutting a tooth and had been fretful, but at last he slept. Just as she stepped clear of the doorway, a slight motion caught her peripheral vision but before she could turn, someone had seized her from behind and covered her eyes. Her heart had leapt into her throat, and was now pounding wildly as she frantically tried to determine what was happening. Before she could panic, however, a familiar voice growled low, and supposedly threateningly, "Be quiet and do as you are told, and no one will get hurt!"

_Eomer! What on earth was he up to with this nonsense?_ He seemed to sense she was about to ask questions and cut her off. "I said silence!"

Deciding to humor him, she meekly answered, "As you wish."

For a moment he hesitated, apparently not expecting her ready acquiescence, but then instructed, "Move!" He began to turn her, and steer her back out the way she had come in. They walked for some time, their footsteps echoing faintly in the hallway. A door opened and she felt a slight breeze coming through as they moved into another room.

From the sound and smell of it, they were now in the main hall. Curious whispers had erupted after a brief, probably surprised, silence, and she wondered how many onlookers there were to this little tableau playing out in Meduseld.

There was a snicker nearby – _Eothain!_ His laugh was most distinctive, and likely the accompanying chuckle belonged to Gamling. Who else but those two would so freely display their amusement at the king's antics?

Her course was steered to the left, and she knew they were moving toward the front doors of the hall. No one approached this odd spectacle, and they reached their destination unimpeded.

Creaking of the door hinges, along with the fresh smell and stiff breeze alerted her to their exit from the Golden Hall. Eomer did not have her walk far before stopping her, and then his hands were replaced by a piece of tied cloth shoved down to block her view.

_Why a blindfold now?_ she wondered. "Eomer…" she ventured, but he cut her off.

"Silence!" he barked sternly, though she detected the laughter in his voice. Even so, she obeyed his command and subsided. An instant later, however, the reason was evident as Eomer scooped her up in his arms. The sudden motion startled her and she quickly made a grab for his neck to hold on, smacking him in the face as she did. He gave a grunt of discomfort, and there was more of Eothain's snickering.

"Sorry!" she murmured. "You should have warned me what you were going to do."

He didn't answer, instead moving forward. By the feel of it, he was going down the front steps of Meduseld, and footsteps behind him suggested that someone was accompanying them – _very likely Eothain still._

Another turn to the left at the bottom of the stairs told her they were not going into town. She relaxed into the strong comfort of her husband's embrace, snuggling slightly closer, and she was rewarded with a chuckle that he tried to suppress. For most of their walk, the sun was bright and hot on her face, but suddenly it disappeared and things darkened around the edges of the blindfold. Her nose twitched at the unmistakable smell of horses – they were in the stables, obviously, but why?

Unable to resist, she haughtily told him, "I do not know where you think you are taking me, sir, but my husband will be very wroth with you when he finds I am missing!"

More snickering from Eothain, and then Eomer leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Then we will tell the fool nothing! You are mine now – get used to it!"

Lothiriel had to fight to withhold the fit of giggling that wanted to take her, instead trying to make her face appear suitably frightened by this threat. "Oh, please! Do not hurt me, I beg you! I have a small child who needs me!" she pleaded teasingly.

He did not laugh, but she could feel his body quaking slightly against her as he hid his amusement with her banter. "Silence, woman!" he demanded again.

The footsteps she was sure belonged to Eothain had stopped while they continued on, and now she could hear his howls of laughter apparently being concealed by something; a horse blanket, perhaps. He always was so easy to push over the edge!

Eomer came to a halt and set her down on her feet, catching her shoulders and turning her away from him, but pulling her back against him with an arm around her shoulders. He nudged her forward, closer to something and then the blindfold was snatched away. She had to blink a moment to get her eyes adjusted, and then a wide grin wreathed her face. "When did this happen?" she exclaimed.

Elrothiel stood benignly gazing at her, a tiny foal wobbling unsteadily at her side as it nursed. It was her first foal, the son of Eomer's own stallion, Firefoot. "Just this morning, but you were much occupied with Elfwine so I did not want to distract you. By the time Elfwine is ready for a horse, this colt should be well trained and prepared for him. What will you name him?"

She gazed at the mite eagerly suckling, and considered the question. At length, twisting in his embrace to look at him over her shoulder, she asked, "What do you suggest?"

He pursed his lips, then offered, "What about 'Greyflood' – like the river. If fortune smiles, he will be swift and strong, and serve his rider well."

Lothiriel turned again to eye the colt, then nodded slowly. "Yes. That is a fine name." She pressed a kiss to Eomer's arm where it encircled in front of her. "Thank you for sharing this with me, my love." Then turning in his arms to completely face him, she beamed broadly, "And thank you for the most interesting method you used for surprising me! A woman could almost hope to be kidnapped so pleasingly on a regular basis!"

He grinned cheekily at her as he brushed noses with her. "This bandit will keep that in mind if he decides to do any further ambushing!"

THE END

9/28/07

Elrothiel – ("lady elf of the underground dwelling") Lothiriel's horse at time of her marriage

_**End note: **__**It is best that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written.**__** The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order, but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content.**_


End file.
